With Female Jockeys coming to the fore more and more in recent times now seems the perfect time to take a look at Female Jockey’s history in the Grand National.
Unsurprisingly there haven’t been many female jockeys in the Grand National, but this looks set to change.
Since The Grand National began in 1839, just 17 female jockeys have been given the chance to take on the iconic Aintree fences on a horse.
In this animated video, Betway ambassador Katie Walsh – who boasts the best finish for a female jockey after finishing third on Seabass in 2012 – narrates the history of female achievements in the race, including:
- Charlotte Brew, the first woman to take part in 1977
- Geraldine Rees became the first female jockey to finish in 1982
- Rosemary Henderson’s fifth-place finish on Fiddlers Pike in 1994
- Carrie Ford following suit on Forest Gunner in 2005
- Walsh and her sister-in-law Nina Carberry flying the flag between 2006 and 2017
- Her record-breaking performance on Seabass in 2012
I for one think female jockeys have a massive future in the sport and have no disadvantages compared to their male counterparts.
Cheltenham 2021 was no different with another female jockey, Racheal Blackmore winning the top jockey of the festival award with an amazing six wins, which was more than the entire British training contingent.
“I can’t even comprehend being a leading jockey – it’s crazy stuff,” she said.
“It’s phenomenal. It’s been brilliant. Henry de Bromhead is an incredible trainer. I’m just part of that team and getting on those horses.”
Take a look at the video and I hope it gives you an insight into how far women have come in the sport of Horse Racing and could be dominating shortly.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post and watch the video, I hope you found it interesting, why not share this page on your social media with friends and family?
